The Queen of Winter
by bookworm700
Summary: AU Elsa lives with her family near the border of Weselton.Weselton invades Arendelle, and Elsa stops the invasion with her powers. Years later, the story of the Queen of Winter, the protector of Arendelle is known to all.Elsa hides her powers and tries to remain detatched from everyone, including her adopted sister Anna.But war with Weselton looms on the horizon, and Elsa is needed
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Frozen.

This just came to me and wouldn't go away till I wrote it. This is AU.

Prologue

The autumn breeze swirled through the trees, rustling the leaves in the forrest. A cabin was nestled in a small clearing, and in front of the cabin was a young girl raking together a pile of leaves. Her platinum blonde hair had red and brown flecks from her previous jumps in the piles of leaves. She finished raking, and her crystal blue eyes scanned the pile before she dropped the rake with a whoop and jumped in. It wasn't exactly comfortable jumping in, but it was worth watching the leaves scatter everywhere. Laughing, she hopped out of the pile and jumped until the leaves once again needed to be raked in to a pile. As she was raking the leaves for her next joyful bouts in the leaves, a figure approached her from behind.

"Gotcha!" yelled a cheerful male voice as to arms reached forward and tickled the little girl.

"Henrik! Stop!" cried the young girl as she squirmed and tried to pull away from the tickle attack.

"Or what? You'll cover me with leaves?" joked Henrik as he stopped tickling the young girl.

"Yes! I will cover you in leaves!" said the child as she grabbed handfuls of leaves and proceeded to let go of them over Henrik's head. Amused, the young boy sat still as his younger sister attempted to completely bury him in leaves, teasing her all the while. By the time she had covered him up to his shoulders, a woman walked out of the cabin. The woman was tall, and thin, with graying brown hair and weary hazel eyes.

"Henrik! Elsa! Time to come inside!" called the woman. The two children raced towards their mother. Elsa arrived before her older brother, and teased him for being 'a slow old reindeer'. The mother smiled knowingly, as it was obvious that Henrik had let his sister win, although Elsa needn't know that. As they trooped inside and took off their coats, she felt a twinge of despair. Her children's coats were frayed and worn, but it was all they had. Her and her husband were simple mountain folk in the kingdom of Arendelle, and they couldn't afford to buy their children coats every year. She ushered her children towards the table, where a brothy meat soup steamed in three bowls.

"Where's daddy's bowl?" questioned Elsa, looking at her mother with her large blue eyes.

"He's working late, it's almost winter, and wood is in high demand" She replied calmly as she sat down to eat. "He'll be home soon, so don't you worry Elsa," she stated before she began to eat.

After a pause, Elsa quietly said, "okay," and dug in to her soup. The small family ate in silence. After the dinner, the mother washed the dishes, Henrik got more wood from the pile on the side of the house, and young Elsa sat in front of the fire mending holes in clothes. She had been taught at a young age how to mend clothes, and once she had become proficient at it, Elsa had been tasked with repairing all the torn clothes in the house. It was also easier for her to sew than it was for her mother, as she was young and her eyesight was good, while her mother found it harder and harder to see the stitches that she made in the clothing as time went on. Once she finished, Elsa couldn't help but doze in front of the warm fire until the sound of a door banging open woke her from her rest.

"Daddy!" she cried as she launched herself at the burly lumberjack.

"Hey snow princess! How's my favorite little girl?" asked her father with a grin on his face as he held her in his arms.

"But I'm your only little girl Daddy!" Elsa said giggling.

"So you are!" boomed her father. Spotting Henrik, he called, "Henrik! My strong lad! How goes your apprenticeship to Magnus?" as he walked towards his son.

"It's going well," replied Henrik.

"Ivan, I have soup for you," stated the mother.

"Thank you Eva," said Ivan as he put Elsa down and reached for the bowl, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"Henrik, Elsa, get ready for bed," commanded Eva as she tidied the kitchen area of the cabin.

"Come on Elsa," said Henrik as he grabbed Elsa by the hand and took her outside, grabbing a wide bowl and a bucket as he walked out. They walked until they reached the well behind the house. Using the bucket to draw up water, Henrik poured some water in to the bowl and gestured for Elsa to go first. Elsa washed her face with the cold water. Once she finished, she slyly looked at Henrik before using her powers and freezing the water in the bowl. Glaring at her in mock anger, he cried,

"Elsa! Now how am I supposed to wash my face?"

Giggling, she replied, "You aren't!"

Sighing, he broke the thin layer of ice on top of the water and dumped it out. He then proceeded to wash his face. Once he finished, they walked back into the cabin.

After spending an hour or so as a family, the two children went upstairs and went to sleep.

Elsa tossed and turned under her covers. She couldn't sleep. Henrik was snoring softly on the bed next to her. Seeing the glow from the dying fire downstairs, she quietly got out of bed and walked towards the stairs. She could hear the faint voices of her parents talking. She crept down until she could make out what they were saying.

"-we move Ivan? We are close to the border of Weselton. If war breaks out, our family will be in danger!"

"I don't think an actual war will break out Eva, I think this is just rumors and Weselton trying to intimidate Arendelle."

"But Ivan, tensions between the two kingdoms have never been this high! War is an actual possibility! We need to move away from the border!"

"I already told you we can't Eva. And that's final."

"But Ivan-"

"We can't! If we could, I would have us move closer to the capitol of Arendelle in a heartbeat, but we can't! Winter will be upon us soon, and we don't have the money to move. We're barely scraping by as it is! We can't afford to move, not now at least… If we can hold out till spring, maybe we can move then. Winter is the time when people buy the most wood, so we might have enough after winter…. Just please hold on Eva, I'm trying my best."

"… I'm sorry Ivan. I'm just worried. I know we don't have much, but I would feel safer if we moved now."

"I know. But we don't have a choice."

Elsa sat quietly on the stairs, absorbing what she had learned. Henrik probably knew about the potential war because he was able to go in to town. She couldn't, because of her powers. She was safer here, in the woods, and she was free to use her powers as much as she wanted around her family. If she went in to town, she would have to hide them, and she wasn't very good at controlling her power… yet. Elsa was determined to have complete control over her powers so she could go to town and make some friends. It was a bit lonely out here, in the forrest with just her family. Hearing her parents douse the fire, she scampered up the rest of the stairs and quickly slid under the covers and pretended to be asleep. Her parents walked up the stairs and into their room.

After they were gone, Elsa sat up and continued to ponder what she had heard. She wasn't sure if she wanted to move or not. She liked the house they lived in now; she didn't have to hide her powers here. But if they moved somewhere else, maybe there would be children here age there! But she wouldn't be able to use her powers as much… Elsa didn't know what war was, but with the way her parents talked about it, it must be bad, very bad, if her parents were afraid of it. It was probably scarier than the dark shadows that sometimes haunted her at night, or the monster that lived under her bed. Sighing, she laid back down, and slowly drifted off to sleep.

A few months passed, and Elsa noticed that her parents were worried, even though they tried to hide it. Henrik had started to seem nervous too. It must be that scary thing, war, which her parents had talked about that was making them all scared. Elsa tried to be cheerful, and to make her parents and brother smile and laugh, and when they did, it didn't look right. When they laughed or smiled, it never reached their eyes, and it seemed forced. One day, her father came home early, looking grim. He said that war had broken out between Arendelle and Weselton. Elsa's mom cried, and her brother's face turned pale. Not knowing what to do, Elsa asked her dad what war was. He replied,

"War is when people fight each other. Many people die Elsa, many. And not just soldiers die, citizens do too." Turning to address the rest of the family, Ivan stated, "We've been offered a place to stay in town until this…. Conflict blows over. We're safer in town. Other families like us that live on the outskirts of the town are also being relocated to the town. We have tonight and tomorrow to pack everything and move in to two of Oaken's spare rooms."

Packing was a somber affair. Eva cried as she packed what they could on to Ivan's sleigh that was normally used for wood. They left what they couldn't take in the cabin, and make the trek to Oaken's house. Before they arrived, Eva pulled Elsa aside and gave her a pair of gloves that were a bit large.

"There are for you Elsa. I know they're probably a little big, and I know that you don't feel the cold, but they might help you control and conceal your powers while we stay with Oaken and his family."

"But aren't they yours?"

They are yours now, my little snowflake," said Eva, and she kissed Elsa on the forehead. "Now, let's go meet Oaken and his family and get settled in, okay?"

"Okay."

"That's my brave girl."

In order to create the two rooms for the family of four, some of Oaken's kids had to vacate their rooms and bunk with their siblings. This caused much complaining, and although Oaken and his wife were very friendly and understanding, his children were not. They made Elsa's family feel unwelcome and a burden, but they had nowhere else to go. The news from the front lines was never good, as it seemed that Weselton was winning the war, and was slowly invading Arendelle. The mood in the town was somber, as the front lines of the war drew closer and closer to their town.

Three weeks after the move, Elsa was woken one night by Henrik roughly shaking her awake.

"Henrik? Wha-"

"Elsa! Get up! Weselton soldiers are invading the town!"

Elsa was awake instantly, and she quickly grabbed her shoes and her coat. Henrik grabbed a few times and then ran out the door, with Elsa at his heels. Most of the town was in flames as Weselton soldiers burnt down houses and slaughtered those that stood in their way. Screams filled the air as townsfolk were cut down with swords and shot with arrows. The blood and soot stained the pure white snow on the ground as the soldier destroyed the town. The soldiers were slowly advancing through town, and would soon be focused on Oaken's house .Henrik pulled Elsa away from the grisly sight and dragged her towards the back of the house.

"Henrik, what about Oaken and his family?"

"They have already left Elsa; they were the ones who woke mom and dad up. I just hope that the soldiers don't find them."

Behind the house, Eva and Ivan were waiting for their children. Putting Henrik and Elsa on the family horse, they sent their children to safety in to the forrest as they escaped the burning town behind them on foot. As Elsa looked back, she saw the soldiers make their way towards her fleeing parents. One soldier lifted his crossbow and aimed. With a cry of pain, her father fell to the ground. The soldier aimed again, and her mother crumpled to the ground. Tears began to well in Elsa's eyes, as she realized she would never see her parents again. Henrik urged the old work horse faster. It was only after they were deep in to the forrest did Henrik allow the horse to slow. Henrik jumped down from the horse, two clean streaks on his face from his tears.

"Come on Elsa," he said, his voice wavering, "we need to find shelter and food."

They made their way to a nearby stream. Henrik caught some fish. He then led a shaken Elsa to their family's cabin. Once they got inside, they sat down and huddled together. Henrik didn't dare start the fire, for fear of the soldiers seeing the smoke and coming to investigate. The siblings eventually fell asleep.

Henrik awoke with a start. He sat still and listened. He could hear shouts coming from the forrest. Peaking out the window of the cabin, he saw Weselton soldiers. Feeling his heart sink with dread, he realized the soldiers must have followed their tracks in the snow. He silently woke Elsa. After telling her what was going on, he instructed her to stay behind him. The soldiers were at the edge of the clearing, and had yet to investigate the cabin. Mustering up his courage, and drawing his dagger, Henrik crouched and left the cabin, with Elsa trailing behind him. As long as the soldiers didn't turn to look at the cabin, they might have a chance to escape on foot. They were almost behind the cabin when they were spotted.

"Elsa, run!" shouted Henrik and he too began to run.

But two children on foot are no match for grown men. Seeing the soldiers beginning to catch up, he knew what he had to do.

"Elsa, keep running, don't look back!"

Elsa pumped her small legs, running and running. Henrik turned to face the soldiers and raised his dagger, tears pricking at the corners of his eyes. He had to give Elsa time to escape.

Elsa ran and ran. She didn't know how far she ran. When she finally tired, she stopped and turned to look for Henrik.

He wasn't there.

Henrik wasn't with her.

She heard the last words he said to her ring in her head

"_Elsa, keep running, don't look back!"_

She saw her parents falling at the hands of the Weselton soldiers.

Elsa fell to the ground and began to sob. She wailed. She raged.

In response to her grief, her magic reacted.

A deadly winter blizzard raged around her, and spread. It spread for miles, drowning both Weselton and Arendelle in snow. In Elsa's grief.

When she finally calmed down, Elsa found herself surrounded by fresh, pure snow. No longer caring what happened to her, she began to wander back toward her village. When she got there, the soldiers were gone, and the misfortune that had occurred hours before was buried under snow. The blood and soot was gone.

Elsa continued to walk.

After walking for a few hours, she heard a faint voice.

"Mommy? Daddy?"

Walking towards the voice, she came across a small, red headed girl with green eyes. The young girl was covered in a light dusting of snow, and was shivering uncontrollably.

"Hello?"

The red haired girl jumped at the sound, and looked at Elsa inquisitively.

"Who are you?" she said.

"I'm Elsa, who are you?"

"I'm Anna. Have you seen my mommy and daddy? I can't find them. They hid me in a tree in the woods after the soldiers came, and then they ran away. The soldiers chased after them, but they didn't see me. My mom is pretty; she has red hair like me! And Daddy has green eyes and lots of freckles. Have you seen them?"

"Um, no. I'm sorry."

"Oh. Okay. Mommy and Daddy said to head to Stavanger, that's a city, if I get lost. Do you want to come with me?"

"… Uh, sure?"

"Okay! What's your favorite color? Do you like green? Green is my favorite color!"

The two girls made their slow trek towards Stavanger. Anna talked most of the way, with Elsa speaking only when Anna asked a question. The two girls grew close, and looked out for each other. The walk towards the city took them three and a half weeks. Once they got to Stavanger, the girls considered themselves sisters, and they were inseparable. However, Elsa never told Anna about her ability to cause snow and ice. The girls were put together in an orphanage.

Due to the catastrophic blizzard, Weselton suffered heavy losses due to illness and death and a loss of supplies. A truce was called, and peace returned to the land. The King of Arendelle remarked to one of his troll advisors how lucky Arendelle was that the blizzard had appeared when it did. The troll mysteriously replied that it was not luck, simply the Queen of Winter attempting to stop the war and share her opinions on it. The story soon spread throughout the land, the myth that the Queen of Winter had stopped the carnage and destruction of war, and that the Queen of Winter was on Arendelle's side. She was their protector.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Frozen or any of its characters.

Lyanah: Thank you. I imagined that Elsa and Anna would be about the same age as they were in the scene in the movie where Anna got hit with Elsa's powers. It's never exactly stated how old they were at that point.

Fatat18: Thank you. And I am planning on revealing more about Anna's and Elsa's youth and their trek together in the woods through flashbacks and stories. I wanted the meeting between Anna and Elsa to be very simple and not that memorable, as most of the time when you meet an eventual friend for the first time, your meeting is not memorable. Also, Elsa was emotionally drained at that point, and was quite numb to events that were going on. Anna was also too young to really understand and grasp the situation.

Speech: " "

Thoughts: _thoughts_

Chapter 1

The sky was a bloody red, smeared with sooty black lines. Houses were on fire, yet they were warped and shaped weirdly. Screams and cries of pain filled the air as faceless soldiers destroyed the town, chanting "Weaseltown" over and over again as they marched down the streets. Elsa felt something wet and firm grab her hand as she stared at the horrific sight. Turn to look at what had latched on to her hand; she saw her mother's bloody hand intertwined with hers. Gasping, she tried to pull away, but Eva's grasp was too strong.

"Daughter, help me!"

"You're…. you're dead. I'm sorry, I can't."

"Why didn't you use your powers before we all died? Didn't you love us?!" roared Eva, and her face twisted in rage and anger. The wound in her side started to pour blood, splashing on to Elsa.

"I… I didn't know how. I'm sorry! I love you all!" Elsa sobbed as she pulled, trying to release her dead mother's hand.

"No…. No, you never loved us. You have a heart of ice, you don't feel. Look at what you have done!" stated Eva coldly, pointing with her free hand at the pile of frozen adults, all Weselton soldiers.

"They died because of you. Your blizzard killed them."

"no… No…. NO!" with a gasp, Elsa sat up in her bed, sweat clinging to her forehead, her normally perfect and pristine hair rumpled and tangled. She struggled to catch her breath, and waited for her heart to stop racing. Turning her head, she looked at the bed on the opposite side of the room. Anna laid there, with the sheets tangled around her; snoring, blissfully unaware of Elsa's nightmare.

Seeing Anna in such a peaceful and quite state helped calm Elsa as it sunk in that what had plagued her in her dreams was not real, and there was nothing to be afraid of. Nothing could harm Elsa here. She was safe.

After taking a few deep breaths, she leaned back until he head once again rested against the pillow. After laying there for some time, she finally drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

When Elsa woke up, daylight was streaming in through the window, filling the room with a cheerful yellow glow. Looking at the bed opposite her, she noticed that it was empty. Anna had, for the first time in months, gotten up before Elsa. Yawning, Elsa slowly stood, then proceeded to get dressed. She slipped on the white gloves that helped her conceal and reign in her power, wishing as she always did that she didn't have to hide who she truly was. Elsa longed for the past, where she was not plagued by nightmares, where she could be free to use her powers on a whim, and where her family was alive and well. But it had been over 10 years since those fateful months when her happy life had been destroyed by bloodshed and fire. Looking in the mirror, she saw a young woman whose face, though youthful, was worn and tired. Elsa had grieved for her family, and though she still missed them, their passing was no longer as painful as it had once been. It was the daily struggle to keep her powers locked inside her, bound by chains of her determination and will power, that caused the weariness and the exhaustion, as the struggle sapped her strength. _I don't know how long I can keep this locked inside of me_, she thought, _my powers have only gotten stronger, and everyday it becomes harder and harder to keep this side of me hidden from everyone. The desire to let someone see the real Elsa, not the Elsa who keeps half of herself locked away, grows with my powers. Perhaps… Anna? No. She couldn't keep a secret. And she would probably want me to claim the title of the Queen of Winter, and go around making snow days in the middle of summer. _

After gazing at her reflection a little longer, she made her way through the halls of the orphanage. Walking past a play room for the younger children, she noticed a flash of red hair through the cracked open door. She paused, then headed towards the room. Sure enough, Anna was there, sitting on a chair far too small for her gangly 15 year old frame, telling stories to the younger children. Elsa leaned against the door frame and listened in to Anna's retelling of the Ugly Duckling, smiling and chuckling softly when Anna hilariously spoke each character's part with a different tone of voice. Once Anna finished her tale, the young children cheered and clapped and called for another story while Anna bowed. Due to the fact that the door was behind Anna, she had yet to notice Elsa.

"Tell us the story of the Winter Queen!" one girl demanded.

"Yah! Tell us! Tell us!" cheered the others.

"Haven't you guys heard that story a lot?" questioned Anna.

"No!" responded the children.

"Alright. Long ago, Arendelle and Weselton went to war. It was a fierce and bloody war. Many brave soldiers died trying to protect the great Kingdom of Arendelle. But, it wasn't enough. Weselton was winning! Weselton gained ground, forcing Arendelle's soldiers to retreat further in to Arendelle."

"Oh no!" lamented one of the children.

"Weselton soldiers started to burn and destroy the Arendelle towns that they passed while chasing the Arendelle army. After destroying many towns, the Queen of Winter took notice. She saw how the families and children were suffering during the war. Seeing their pain, she sent a blizzard to stop the Weselton soldiers. The blizzard killed many of the Weselton soldiers by burying them in snow, it caused the soldiers to get sick, gave them frostbite, and made it harder to transport supplies from Weselton all the way in to Arendelle. So, Weselton called a truce, and Arendelle and Weselton have been at peace every since." Anna

"But," she stated, pausing for dramatic effect, "It wasn't till after the blizzard that everyone noticed that the townspeople of the destroyed towns who had managed to escape hadn't been affected by the blizzard at all! Where the snow blinded the Weselton soldiers and the wind pushed them back, it helped the townspeople by covering their tracks and hiding them from the soldiers. Many of the townspeople claim to have seen a woman in the snow who showed them the path to the nearest town or city that had not been destroyed. "

"Elsa and I saw her when we walked to Stavanger together. She was beautiful! She had hair white as snow, and eyes as blue as icebergs. She wore a dress of snow and snowflakes, and her skin was flawless, like freshly fallen snow. She showed us the way here, to this city!" Anna exclaimed excitedly.

"Wow!" "Cool!" exclaimed the gathered children.

"Was she really that pretty?" questioned one child.

"Yes! She was the most beautiful person that I had ever seen." Anna said with a soft smile on her face.

Hearing enough, Elsa poked her head in to the room.

"Anna, can I speak to you? Outside?" questioned Elsa, polite as ever.

"Sure!" Anna exclaimed as she bounced out of her chair and followed Elsa in to the hallway.

"Anna, we didn't see anything on our trek here. You shouldn't lie to them." Elsa chastened.

"I know, but it's just a tiny bit of an exaggeration! Besides, other people saw a women, so why didn't we?"

"They didn't see a woman either, they, just like you, probably exaggerated to create this ridiculous fairy tale of the Queen of Winter."

"Well… If it isn't true, then explain why no one from Arendelle who escaped the soldiers died in the blizzard! Explain why the blizzard seemed focused on the soldiers from Weselton! Explain why the townspeople didn't feel the coldness of the snow! Explain how the blizzard came out of nowhere!" demanded Anna, her voice rising in volume as she became more and more passionate in her mini speech.

"It was probably just a coincidence, and you know how people can do incredible feats when their life is in danger. The adrenaline probably stopped them from feeling most of the cold, as well as their focus on getting away from the soldiers." Elsa calmly and rationally explained. _That blizzard was my rage and grief, and my rage and grief was caused by the soldiers, so it targeted them,_ she thought guiltily.

"Of course you have an explanation for everything." Grumbled Anna.

"Why can't you just accept that maybe some things can't be explained, and that magic exists!" implored Anna.

"I can't accept it because it doesn't exist." Elsa stated in a final tone. _Lies!_ A small voice inside of her cried as she said this.

"… Whatever. I see that you won't believe in the Queen of Winter. But know that I will always believe that she exists and that she saved us!" Anna retorted as she turned and stormed away from Elsa.

Elsa couldn't help the happiness that bubbled up inside of her at Anna's words. Shaking her head, she turned and walked in the opposite direction that Anna had taken.

Since it was the weekend, Elsa did not work have to work at the Seamstress's Shop. However, she did try to help those who ran the orphanage, as they often had more to do than they could fit in a day. Grabbing the grocery list, a basket, and some money, she walked to the market. The sun shone brightly on Elsa as she walked, filling her with warmth.

Once Elsa reached the market square, she grabbed her list and started going stall to stall buying what was needed. After she had finished and filled the basket, she made her way to one of the many town bulletin boards spread throughout the city. Skimming over them, one caught her eye. Unlike the others, which were written on paper, this one was written on parchment, and it had two red wax seals on it. Looking closer, Elsa noticed it was the seal of the Kingdom of the Southern Isles, as well as the seal of Arendelle. Perplexed as to why an announcement with the seals of the Southern Isles and Arendelle was doing on the bulletin board, she began to read.

The announcement stated:

Hear ye, Hear ye, Prince Hans of the Southern Isles will be passing through the city of Stavanger on his way to the capitol. He is an ambassador of the Southern Isles, and will be staying in this great city for five days before continuing his journey. The city of Stavanger will be putting on a play for his majesty's entertainment on the first day of his visit. On the second day, he will be going on a boar hunt in the woods neighboring the city. A feast will be held on the third day of his visit, and all citizens are invited to attend. On the fourth day after his arrival, Prince Hans will be touring the city. And a ball will be held in his honor on his last evening in Stavanger. All citizens with proper ball attire are allowed to attend the ball.

_A Prince visiting Stavanger? How odd. _Elsa thought as she walked home. _Although this will probably increase my workload at the shop, as many people will need new clothes for the ball._

After she dropped off the groceries in the kitchen, she made her way to the large backyard that the orphanage had. Elsa stopped when she saw Anna sitting near the pond, feeding and talking to the ducks.

"- known her forever. I don't really remember much before I met her, and I don't like fighting with her, but we're just so different! I mean, it's bound to happen sometimes, right? We can't always get along, but I wish we could get along more often, like when we were kids. I feel like we've been drifting apart for some reason, and no matter how hard I try to close the gap, it just gets bigger and bigger! I feel like the older she gets, the more closed off she becomes. If growing up means that I'm not going to be open and fun, then I don't want to grow up! I-"

"Ahem."

"AH!" Anna shrieked and jumped, startled by Elsa's sudden appearance. The ducks, frightened by Anna's shriek and sudden movement, left in a flurry of indignant quacks.

"Oh, hi Elsa. What are you doing here?" Anna asked once she had calmed down.

"I wanted to talk to you."

"Oh good! I hate fighting with you, you know. It's just so easy to argue with you though! It's like we don't agree on anything. How about we agree to disagree on the whole Queen of Winter thing, okay?" Anna said in a rush, smiling hopefully at Elsa.

"Uh, sure, but that's not what I wanted to talk to you about."

"Oh, it isn't?"

"No."

"… So what did you want to talk about?" Anna asked curiously.

"Well, I wanted to talk to you about an announcement I saw on the bulletin board-"

"I already told you, I don't want to get a job yet, I want to continue to help out around the orphanage. Besides, I'm being taught how to cook right now by-"

"Anna, that's not what I wanted to talk about either."

"Oh. Well then, spit it out Elsa! What's on your mind?"

"The one of the Princes of the Southern Isles is coming to Stavanger. There is going to be a lot of celebrating, and the announcement said that there will be a play on the first day, and a ball on the last day of his visit. I was wondering…"

"Yes? Yes? Elsa! Don't leave me hanging! What were you wondering about?"

"Well, I know we haven't really done anything together as sisters for a while, and so I was wondering, if we could get tickets to the play, would you go with me? And I know I can make a pair of dresses in time for the ball, so we can go to that too if you-"

"Elsa, did you hear me talking to the ducks?"

"Yes, but what does that-?"

"Yes! I'll go with you! I've missed spending time with you Elsa!" Anna exclaimed as she jumped up and hugged Elsa, nearly knocking her over.

"Oh, um, good. You can let go now." Elsa said awkwardly. Once Anna let go, she straightened out her slightly rumpled dress.

"Elsa, you don't always have to look so prim and proper," Anna giggled as she watched Elsa fix her dress, "no one will care if a few of your hairs are out of place, or if you have some wrinkles in you dress."

"Maybe not, but I do care."

"Alright. Come on! Let's go have some fun!" Anna yelled, grabbing Elsa's gloved hand and dragging her along.

AN: I suppose you should review. It would be nice of you.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Frozen or any of its characters.

Fatat18: As of right now, I do not have any intention of stopping this story. It has been quite fun to write.

Qwq qweqq: I'm not really sure what to say to that. But that's not the point of a review.

Ululate: Thank you, and I'm glad you like it so much.

Sliced13: Thank you so much. I did want my story to be very different from the other stories that I had been seeing in the Frozen fan fictions. I actually find it ironic that you think I write very well, as I have always struggled in my English classes in school. But thank you, that's very nice to hear.

Speech: " "

Thoughts: _thoughts_

Chapter 2

Walking briskly through the streets, Elsa headed toward the seamstress's shop. Elsa had worked at the shop, which was owned by a woman named Kari, for almost a year now. The lessons that Elsa's mother had taught her long ago had come in handy when Elsa decided that she needed a job. Due to the fact that she was already proficient in sewing and she could sew well, Kari had hired on the spot. Not many had the patience or the discipline to work for hours on embroidering intricate designs onto fabric. But, years of controlling her emotions and locking it up with her will power had given Elsa both. Sewing machines were used for sewing the plain, solid clothes that most people wore every day, and they were manned by staff that could not sew very well, or at all. Elsa worked on special projects, such as wedding gowns, formal attire, and costumes for plays. These pieces often needed beads or designs sewn on to them, and that could only be done by hand. Hanging her cloak in the back room, Elsa walked over to where her current task hung on a sewing dummy. It was a wedding dress for Hilde, who was to be married in a few months time. Gathering her needle and thread, Elsa began to embroider designs on to the fabric.

Elsa had been working on the dress for an hour or so when Kari came in.

"Gather round everyone! I have great news!" exclaimed Kari joyfully.

"Our shop will be producing the costumes for the play that will be put on for Prince Han's visit. The players will then travel across Arendelle and perform in theaters all over the country, with the costumes made from our shop! This play will also be performed in front of the Crown once it gets to the capitol city. Now, this is a great honor, and a great opportunity! Once the play has been picked, we will begin work immediately on the costumes, and all other projects will be postponed till further notice. Think, the name of this shop could soon be known across Arendelle as the shop that made the costumes for the play seen by the King and Prince Hans of the Southern Isles!"

The workers began to titter excitedly.

"Now, since Elsa and I won't be able to handle the entire embellishment process by ourselves, we will teach some of you how to do so. The rest of you will be cutting the fabric and sewing the costumes together. I'm sure that you are all just as excited as I am about this, and we will need to complete all the orders that we have now quickly and efficiently as we can, because as soon as it is decided what play to perform, we will begin our work!"

With that, Kari made her way toward Elsa.

"Elsa, I will be picking some of the best sewers that I have, besides you, for you to teach. We can't teach them how to embroider, as that would take more time than we have. But we can teach them how to sew in beads and buttons. For those that are already adept at sewing, that should not be too hard to teach. However, do you mind teaching them how to do so? If you don't want to, I'll teach them, but it's up to you, dearie."

After a slight pause, Elsa replied, "I'll teach them. It won't be too hard."

"Excellent! How about we have some of them watch you work on Hilde's dress for a while, and after your lunch break, you can begin to teach them. I have to go to the committee and debate what play to perform. You'll be in charge of the store while I'm away. Understood?"

"Yes, I'll go back to the dress now."

"I'll send some of the workers your way in a few minutes Elsa."

Walking back towards the dress, Elsa couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding. A shiver kept up her spine. This was odd, as Elsa couldn't feel the cold. She did not feel cold at that moment, just a sense that something with ill intentions was headed her way.

Anna skipped through town, humming to herself. She had just gotten out of school, and was headed back to the orphanage. It was late spring, and thus the town was filled with lush, green trees along the edges of the road and brilliant colored flowers that bloomed in wooden boxes and barrels along the buildings that lined the cobblestone street. Passing by city hall, she noticed Kari and a few other well respected men and women sitting outside the building eating their lunches. She approached Kari and sat down next to her.

"Hi Kari! I thought the shop was open today?"

"It is Anna, I just left Elsa in charge while I discuss with this darn committee about what play we should perform for Prince Hans."

"Really!? What play have you decided on?" Anna asked, her enthusiasm evident in her voice.

"Well, that's the problem. We haven't decided yet. We want a play that will present Arendelle in a positive light. However, a play that does that will have to be written, as we can't find one. Not only that, but it would probably be very dull, if the play was just the history of Arendelle."

"Well, what about a fairy tale?"

"A fairy tale? Anna, this play is going to be performed in front of Prince Hans, and most importantly, the King! Grown men don't want to hear fairy tales, child! They want to listen and watch a play with a deep meaning, one that makes the audience think and reflect on their own life."

"But what about the fairy tale about the Queen of Winter? You can probably expand on it, but there are some deep elements to it… I think. I mean, the tale teaches us about how war is wrong, and it only brings suffering and death. It also teaches us about compassion. The Queen of Winter isn't human, yet she felt compassion and sympathy for the families and children who were being hurt by the war. If someone, or something, that isn't human feels compassion for us, then it shouldn't be that hard for us to feel compassion and sympathy for others… That's the deep you were looking for, right?"

"… You do make a very good point Anna. That story also is about Arendelle, and the idea isn't boring or dull… I will talk to the committee about this once our break is over. It's a good idea, but I'm not sure if it's the best idea… But thank you for trying to help out," Kari said with a smile on her face.

"Oh! No problem! It was nice talking to you Kari, I'll see you soon!"

And with that, Anna skipped off, humming and twirling as she went.

Kari watched the energetic girl head as she erratically made her way down the street. She sighed then mumbled to herself, "It really isn't a bad idea…"

Elsa attempted to relax as she folded and straightened bolts of cloth and returned them to their racks on the walls. She thought that teaching a few of the others how to sew on beads and buttons would have gone smoothly, and that it would not have been hard. But, it seems she had overestimated them. _It's not their fault though,_ she mused, _I was taught how to do all of this when I was young, and years of experience has allowed me to think of embroidering, beading, and attaching buttons as easy. When I started out, I was probably just as bad… If not worse, due to the fact that most young children have a hard time sitting still and concentrating on menial tasks. I should not judge them as harshly as I am… yet it is hard for me, since I have already mastered this skill and it seems simple to me… It frustrates me so that they have not made any progress at all, even though I taught them for three hours! _shaking her head in exasperation, she paused in her work. _This is ridiculous, I must stop being concerned by this, it will only cause me to become irritated and exasperated. What else should I think about? Hmm… The ball! Anna and I will be attending the ball that is being put on for Prince Hans. Let's see, Anna prefers green clothes, as it is her favorite color, she also enjoys light colors…._

Elsa was so absorbed in her musing, that she did not hear Kari enter, or hear her walking towards her.

"Elsa?"

"AAAHHHH!" shrieked Elsa, dropping the green cloth as she spun to face Kari. Her gloves prevented her powers from escaping her hands most of the time, but the pure fear and surprise that Elsa felt was enough for a small layer of frost to appear where her hand pressed against the wooden wall. The temperature in the room dropped a few degrees, causing Kari to shiver. Since the frost was behind Elsa, Kari did not notice the intricate icy spirals that radiated from Elsa's gloved hands.

"Sorry Elsa, I did not mean to frighten you." Kari stated hurriedly, a look of regret on her lightly wrinkled face.

"I- No- It's okay, you just surprised me." Elsa said with a weak smile.

"… Are you alright dearie? It's not like you to be so absorbed by your thoughts." Queried Kari as she peered at Elsa's face, attempting to discern what was wrong.

Elsa looked down, not wanting to see Kari's disappointment as she told her of the events of the day. After a brief pause, Kari replied.

"Elsa, you can't be perfect at everything. And just because your students didn't learn immediately does not mean that you are a bad teacher. I knew that this would take time when I asked you to teach them, I did not expect to return and find that they had all magically become proficient over the course of an afternoon. You mustn't set your expectations so high. If you do, you will only be disappointed when none, or hardly any, meet your expectations, especially on the first try.

"Now what else is troubling you? Don't give me that look. You were not looking at mangled bead work when I walked in; you were examining some of the different shades of green. Did a customer order a green dress, but they didn't specify the shade?"

"Um, no. I was thinking about making dresses for the ball. I wanted to go with Anna. We haven't really bonded all that much lately, or spent time with each other, so I figured that going to the ball together to dance and have some fun would bring us a little closer."

"That's a splendid idea Elsa! Although do be careful, that girl is a romantic at heart. You'll have to keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn't fall for the first man to sweep her off her feet!" chortled Kari in amusement.

Laughing softly, Elsa replied, "I'll keep an eye on her."

"Good! Now why is it so cold in here? It seems more like winter in here that spring! Ah well, no point in starting a fire when we're about to close up shop… Oh! Elsa, can you tell Anna something for me?"

"Anna? You have a message for Anna?"

"Yes, can you please tell Anna that her idea for a play was a hit among the other board members! The play is being written now, and that she is welcome to go visit Leif to help him with the writing process, since she was the one that came up with the idea." Kari said as she checked the doors and the equipment, making sure that everything was locked up tight for the night.

"Anna's idea for the play? What was her idea?" asked Elsa, her curiosity peaked.

"Well, it's a bit childish, but that's Anna for you. She suggested the story of the Queen of Winter."

Elsa felt something lurch inside of her. Anna's devotion to the 'Queen of Winter' was touching, but to have the story played out before the King and ambassadors from other nations? To have her story (thought Anna didn't know that the story was about her) performed before millions of people. She felt sick. Feeling a little dizzy from the shock and surprise of the news, Elsa leaned against the outside of the store, her face white.

"Now, I know that you think the story of the Queen of Winter is complete nonsense, but I'm sure that you will- Elsa? Are you alright child? You're deathly pale."

Kari looked at Elsa in concern, her steely gray eyebrows knitted together. She felt Elsa's forehead, looking for a fever.

"I-I'm alright. I'm just a little tired and worn down." Elsa fibbed, wishing she didn't have to lie to Kari. She righted herself, and looked her boss in the eye, attempting to show her that she was just fine.

"…If you're sure…" Kari replied hesitantly.

"I'm sure. I will see you tomorrow Kari, good night."

Elsa turned away, and began walking at a brisk pace towards the orphanage. She had some pressing matters she needed to speak to Anna about.

Far away, in the kingdom of the southern isles, a young prince watched the sky. He was handsome. He had light green eyes and reddish-brown hair.

Seeing a speck on the horizon, he smirked. His white teeth glinted in the light of the sinking sun. A few minutes later, an ordinary pidgeon landed on his window sill. Well, it would have been ordinary if it didn't have a small note tied to its leg.

Hans opened the window and brought the bird inside. After feeding it some bread, he removed the noted and unfurled it. His smirk grew wider as he read the contents of the message. _It seems the Duke wants me to do some snooping when I'm in Arendelle, _he thought. Hans grabbed a small piece of parchment and wrote a reply.

**Duke, **

**I'll see what I can find out about this 'Queen of Winter'. **

**But it'll cost you. **

**-Prince**

AN: I never intended for Kari to be in this chapter so much. Quite frankly, I just wanted her to be known as Elsa's boss, but she kept finding her way in to the chapter. Do you like Kari? Please let me know, and please review. Thank you.


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